The Apprentice
by Casually Late
Summary: When Sarah beat the Labyrinth she didn't just walk away with her brother, something else was given to her. Certain powers, dangerous powers. When she is unexpectedly reunited with the Goblin King, he recognizes her talent for what it is and is determined to teach her control, whether she agrees or not.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own The Labyrinth. It is the property of the Jim Henson Co. I am not making any financial profit from this work of fiction nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

The Apprentice

Chapter One

Sarah looked up into the blinding lights of the auditorium. Through the glare, she gazed at the faceless audience. They absolutely adored her.

She couldn't have cared less.

When she was younger, this was not how she pictured herself on stage. Not that long ago, Sarah's only aspiration in life involved starting an acclaimed career on Broadway by her mother's side. Never mind the fact that she was a terrible actress and couldn't carry a tune.

She had outgrown those childish fantasies. In fact, she had outgrown wishing and dreaming all together. _'Dreaming only leads to disappointment.'_

She carefully stood up from the grand piano, mindful of her flowing black gown and stiffly took a bow. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered for more. It was unusual for such a sophisticated audience to applaud so enthusiastically, but that was always the case when Sarah played. Anyone who listened couldn't help but be overcome with emotion. By the time she finished the encore, the crowd would most likely be better suited for a sports arena.

She bowed again and smiled slightly, just barely lifting the corners of her mouth. Sarah refused to be consumed with vanity and pride for her talent; she knew where it had come from. Sarah's eyes shone with only a slight hint of satisfaction for a job well done. Sarah strode off stage towards her manager, who also happened to be her stepmother.

Irene was the logical choice when Sarah's talent abruptly made itself known. She was family and a fierce businesswoman. With her in charge no one could take advantage of Sarah due to her inexperience. Or young age.

At seventeen, Sarah was one of the youngest performers in the Metropolitan Charity Concert being held that night. It was quite an honor to be invited to participate in the event and a testament to her talent. Especially when they requested she perform the last set and the coveted encore. It was hard to believe she had only been performing publicly for little over a year.

Once she was hidden behind the curtain, Sarah gratefully took the bottle of water Irene held out for her. She drank it down in one go, smirking at Irene when she handed back the empty bottle. In the past, this would have been done with malicious glee; a childish passive aggression to bate the older woman. Instead it was performed as a playful teasing to bother her stepmother's Southern sensibilities.

Irene rolled her eyes and shook her head in mock disapproval. She smiled sweetly while putting the lid back on the bottle. "You were wonderful," she said quietly. There was no need for lowered voices with the noise echoing in from the music hall. Sarah decided to tease the older woman. She quickly adopted a look of absolute wonder on her face and whispered back, "Is that what all the cheering's about?"

"Ha ha. Very funny, Sarah," her stepmother laughed, "but I'm proud of you. This is a big opportunity. You know this concert's being recorded for a tv special!" Beaming with pride, Irene began fussing with Sarah's hair. She wanted her stepdaughter to look her best since this concert would later be broadcasted. "Just think of all the people who will be able to hear your music!"

Audiences couldn't get enough of her. Somehow, Sarah was able to project strong emotions and impulses to those around her through her music. Irene called it magical; Sarah chose to ignore the emptiness she felt whenever she heard that comment. _'There's no such thing,'_ she lamented. ' _Not anymore_.'

Irene peeked over Sarah's shoulder to spy on the audience then moved to fluff her stepdaughter's silky-smooth gown. "It's almost time, have you decided on what piece you'll play for the encore?" Sarah shook her head from side to side. There had been no need to choose.

She knew exactly what Irene was going to say next and she was dreading it. Irene leaned back and looked pleadingly at her stepdaughter. "I know you don't like playing it," she started softly, "but what about the first song you wrote? The one based on your favorite play." She smiled wistfully, "It's such a lovely song. There wouldn't be a dry eye in the house!"

Sarah tried to ignore the flutter in her stomach at the thought of playing that song. "I don't know, Irene…" Whenever she played, Sarah had to give herself over completely to the emotion driving the music. It was almost like a trance. Because of this, performing often proved to be a very draining experience for the young woman. The first song Sarah had composed was the most draining of all.

"It's your most requested," Irene gushed. "And what a way to end the concert!" Her stepmother leaned back and exaggerated looking from side to side. After double checking that they were alone, she leaned in and whispered, "Just think of the donations! After you've tugged on their heartstrings they'd be more emotional."

She paused for effect, while shaking a motherly finger to emphasize her next words, "And emotional people donate more money."

Sarah turned to stare out at the audience, her hand clenching the velvet curtain tightly. She couldn't argue with that, the sole reason she was playing tonight was to help support the children's foundation. If her discomfort could help raise money for the local children, then it was worth it. The younger woman didn't turn to look at her stepmother as she hesitantly nodded her consent.

Irene squealed in delight. It was odd coming from the normally reserved woman, but at the same time also endearing. It brought a small smile back to Sarah's face. It had taken some time, and a lot growing up, but Sarah had finally begun to love her stepmother.

Irene genuinely adored Sarah's music, her first piece in particular. Whenever she played it her stepmother would tell her, without fail, that the feelings she invoked were overwhelming. Even to those who didn't know what the piece was about, it played out like a story. It had everything: adventure, danger, magic, friendship, and romance.

Sarah was not looking forward to this. Irene and everyone else might enjoy the effects of the song, but to her it was gut-wrenching. To play it she had to relive her fantasy of the Labyrinth and experience all her emotions surrounding it.

Sarah had tried for weeks to contact her Labyrinth friends, searching for the right words to summon them back to her. She briefly considered saying 'The Right Words', but quickly banished the thought. Sarah wasn't afraid of the Labyrinth anymore, but even years later its monarch still sent an unknown thrill of fear through her whenever she thought of him.

' _Not quite butterflies_ ,' she thought, _'but close enough._ ' When weeks turned into months, Sarah began to lose hope. Doubt crept into her mind and she grudgingly began to accept the truth. The realization still caused her heart to ache.

Her first brush with magic would be her last. She had learned her lesson and now the fairytale was over. Her newfound musical ability was the only magical thing that would remain in her life now. It would forever be a bittersweet reminder of what she had found and been forced to reject.

* * *

The music washed over him in soothing waves. From his secluded spot in the upper balcony, the hidden patron irreverently propped his boots up on the banister while reclining in his seat. He breathed deeply while bringing up his arms to rest behind his head. With his eyes closed, he allowed himself to be fully enveloped by the deep emotions of the melody.

It had been a very long time since he had last heard a proficient musician, at least one up to his standards. For one so young and new to the musical scene, she was quite exceptional.

The Goblin King wondered if he knew the fae responsible for gifting her with such a remarkable talent.

The musician obviously had experienced a recent brush with the fantastical and it was beginning to show through her playing. ' _Once she masters her art_ ,' Jareth smiled to himself, ' _the world will be her oyster_.'

The ability to perform fae music, whether vocally or by instrument was, quite literally, a tricky art. The musician's ability to affect the audience could range from suggestive emotional manipulation to outright physical possession. It was a dangerous gift to have.

As the piano solo came to a close, the Goblin King began a mental critique. _'The magic was erratic throughout the piece, but enjoyable enough. Her potential is surprising for a human, even though her emotions are unstable. Ultimately, she lacks control.'_ He frowned _, 'And that can be very dangerous.'_

Out of habit, Jareth mindlessly created a crystal and began manipulating it as he pondered. _'Then again,_ ' the Goblin King reasoned glumly, ' _… a few hundred years of practice didn't seem to help my control either.'_

He sat up just enough to catch a glimpse of a small figure in black sweep off the stage. Before this pianist had begun her performance, Jareth had been resigned to call the night a disaster. He had even taken to dozing periodically through the performances. As an anonymous benefactor to the night's cause, he remained in the audience to guarantee that the event was a financial success, either legitimately or with a little magical persuasion to encourage donations. After listening to the last performer, his plans to intervene were no longer necessary.

There was no denying the other participants had worked hard to perfect their talents, but most were lacking heart. And that is where the true magic of music came from. The performer had to fully believe the message they were telling.

But that was dangerous as well; opening up one's self to the magic being woven could be devastating, if not controlled properly. A few short years ago, without meaning to, Jareth had nearly enchanted himself.

The monarch let his mind wander to memories he was still desperate to avoid. He closed his eyes hoping to shut out the heart-wrenching images of a ball where he sang of devotion and desire. It was such an amateur mistake, injecting too much of his own loneliness and longing for love into what he sang. It had spectacularly backfired on him. The Goblin King had been lucky the girl had not given in to the distraction as he had.

The lights began to dim. A hush descended on the music hall as the audience prepared itself for the much awaited encore. Slowly the young woman in black reemerged.

' _Hmmm… an apprentice might be a welcome distraction,'_ he smirked, entertaining the idea of whisking away the promising young musician.

The stage lights made her dress sparkle and shimmer with every step that she took. There was nothing seductive in the way she moved, but even from afar this mystery woman was enchanting. To some degree he watched her take her place on stage, content instead to mindlessly watch his crystal dance over his hands. Even if he didn't show it, Jareth was greatly anticipating what was to come, the encore and the possibility of spiriting away an attractive young woman.

"After all …," he reasoned aloud, smoothly moving the crystal around his hands, "she's already been Underground…"

A few hidden goblins chuckled quietly. It looked like the night was about to get exciting.

* * *

Sarah had begun pacing just off stage. She knew what was coming and vainly tried to prepare herself in the short amount of time she had left. Already the music was swelling in her head, begging to be fully embraced and released. Her hands shook, not from nerves, but from the raw emotions she was attempting to hold back. Sarah stopped pacing, closed her eyes, and clenched her teeth. She tried to calm herself by shutting out the music and jumped in surprise when a gentle hand began rubbing circles on her back. She looked sideways at her stepmother before closing her eyes again, taking comfort from her touch.

"Don't fight it, Sarah," Irene said gently. "You need to face the music." Sarah sincerely tried to smile at Irene's lame attempt at a joke, but only managed to produce a slight grin.

Her stepmother sighed deeply at her reaction, feeling pity for her only daughter. "What I mean is that you need to acknowledge what this song is really about," Irene said softly, "and then let it go."

Sarah felt a familiar dead weight settle into her stomach as she considered the advice. No doubt, her stepmother thought this song was subconsciously linked to her mother's abandonment.

"You'll never be happy if you keep mourning over someone who doesn't exist," she said. "It's time to let the Goblin King go."

Sarah looked up in shock, her heartbeat skyrocketing in her chest. ' _'She wasn't talking about mom?'_ Sarah's mind scream. _'But how could she know about Jareth?'_

"How did you …?" Sarah stuttered. _'Maybe Irene knows me better than I realized.'_

Irene gave Sarah a look of pure disbelief. "Please Sarah, with the way you lived and breathed that play for so long? It began to feel real to you, didn't it?" she asked compassionately as she fussed with Sarah's hair again.

' _You're wrong_ ,' Sarah thought, even as she nodded slightly in agreement. She stood still allowing Irene primp her. Sarah knew the more she moved the longer it would take and she really didn't care for all this fussing. ' _You're wrong, it was real_."

Satisfied with her work, Irene lowered her arms. "And the song you wrote about it has so much emotion, it's … it's like your heart's been broken. Honey, it's not healthy to get so caught up in a fantasy."

Irene stiffly crossed her arms in discomfort, she strongly disliked emotional talks. "And you're so young, you need to get out there and meet …"

"Thanks Irene," Sarah interrupted sharply, already knowing where this conversation was going. "I'll…" She took a moment to sigh deeply before calmly adding, "… I'll try my best." Her stepmother took a step back and smiled sadly in understanding. Sarah wasn't quite ready to let go.

They both looked out at the restless audience, wishing for the sudden awkwardness between them to go away.

"Ok," Sarah swallowed thickly, "I'm ready." Irene patted her back a final time before turning to find the stage manager. Not even a full minute later, the lights over the audience dimmed and Sarah stepped into the spotlight waiting just outside the curtain. The crowd had settled down a bit, taking their seats again in quiet anticipation.

There was a jittery, nervous energy in the air and Sarah had the uneasy feeling that something was about to happen.

Sarah was able to walk regally despite her suddenly weak knees. When she finally reached the piano, she glided in front of the keys to sit swiftly on the bench. Before she could talk herself out of it, Sarah began to play. The music started off with a soft melancholy tune that immediately captured the hearts of the audience. It instilled within them the impression of a lonely, heartbroken girl who wished for more.

The memories brought a slight sheen of tears to Sarah's eyes. She closed them and tipped her head upwards slightly to focus solely on the feel of the music. She didn't need to watch her hands, or even to focus, to remember what notes came next. She allowed the song to simply flow out of her, to tell her story through the music. She gradually let the emotions take control as she entered her musical trance.

* * *

In reality, Sarah was blindly letting the magic lead her through the song, much to the utter dismay of the Goblin King. ' _Foolish girl_ ,' he chided harshly. To gently embrace and release a trickle of magic from one's music was one thing, to metaphorically open the flood gates to give the magic permission to sweep everyone away was another.

He had to stop her. She was endangering everyone present.

He stood and quickly summoned the magic necessary to freeze time, ready to give the girl a piece of his mind. As the crystal bauble began to glow a faint blue, he raised his arm and zeroed in on his intended target.

Time froze for the Goblin King; he had yet to lob the magical orb and still it felt as if his whole world had screeched to a halt.

Below him on center stage was Sarah Williams, pouring out her heart through the piano.

"Well, this certainly changes things..."

Author's Note:

I've had this sitting around on my computer for nearly as long as 'Trapped'. I hadn't read it in months and decided to while letting my mind stew over the next chapter of "Trapped". I figured it was time to get it out there.

Hope you all enjoyed it. I'm debating on how long to make this story – I began it with a big story in mind, but I'm kinda curious if I can write a shorter fanfic story…

We'll have to wait and see. Thanks for reading.

Casually Late


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own The Labyrinth. It is the property of the Jim Henson Co. I am not making any financial profit from this work of fiction nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

The Apprentice

Chapter Two

Jareth still could not believe his eyes. After her victory over his labyrinth two years ago, the Goblin King had gladly resigned himself to the fact that he would never see Sarah again. Yet there she was.

She was exquisite.

' _Her playing_ ,' Jareth quickly amended with a scowl. ' _Her playing is exquisite_.' He gripped the railing tightly. He would _not_ let himself go down that road again. It was all in his head, the product of an irresponsible enchantment. He hardly knew her; whatever he felt for her was merely an illusion.

' _Besides, she's nothing but a child_ ,' he sneered further in self-disgust. He may magically spirit away unwanted children, but as far as Sarah was concerned, that type of cradle robbing was not something he was interested in.

He firmly shook that line of thought from his head. He needed to focus. Sarah may have been an unexpected surprise, but her appearance did not change his plans. He would be taking her Underground. She was too dangerous to leave untrained.

Jareth pushed his restless thoughts aside and listened intently to Sarah's playing. For a master of fae music, such as himself, finding the message hidden within would be simple.

' _A piece of cake, if you will_ ,' he grinned pretentiously, finally regaining a bit of his usual bluster after the initial shock of seeing the girl again. Jareth's anticipation of the coming confrontation grew. There was nothing quite like evening the score.

The Goblin King sank back down into his chair and dismissed his crystal. It wouldn't have worked anyway, seeing as he had no power over the girl. He pouted before shrugging off his frustration, there were still plenty of avenues available to him for his scheming.

Yet that one simple limitation severely restricted his options for protecting the crowd. He would have to be extra vigilant to keep everyone safe and that, in itself, would prove to be no small task. With the recklessness of her playing and the sheer magnitude of the untamed magic she was summoning, anything was possible.

An uncontrollable tick began to spasm under his left eye when he thought of all the unnecessary strife this young girl had caused him. _'And yet…,"_ Jareth thought as he looked down at her figure on stage, his heart softening as he watched.

Even in his irritation, there was no denying the music's beauty; it had a simple, pure charm to it that spoke plainly to his soul. It was so sincere and straightforward that Jareth felt slightly bad for the girl, surely she didn't know just how much of her soul was on display for anyone to see.

The magic itself was no less beautiful, for all its hidden danger. It glittered enticingly in shifting shades of deep blues and purples as it danced around in lazy swirls. Sarah's magic, visible only to any magical being in the area, was shimmering brightly around the crowd.

It was beginning to make Jareth nervous. Like many things related to the Underground, it had the potential to be deadly in its beauty.

Soon the magic was clustering ominously in darker shades around the concert's attendees. Only after a few short minutes, the cloud of uncontrolled magic thickly blanketed an entire third of the audience.

"My," Jareth snipped as he rubbed his temple, "you are utterly exhausting."

His hidden minions chortled at the night's turn of events. Even after a quick glare from their king, the goblins were unable to quiet their mirth. It wasn't often that someone else was on the receiving end of the Goblin King's ire and this unfortunate girl had just unwittingly entered into 'Round Two' with their liege. She was way out of her league this time without the strict rules of the Labyrinth to protect her. The goblins would have pitied her if the upcoming conflict wasn't promising to be so entertaining.

Jareth snorted as the magic had yet to progress past expressing the melancholy of a sad, lonely girl. "Still playing the victim, Sarah?" he ridiculed just as the music unmistakably took on a sudden air of wonder and excitement. The change immediately grabbed his attention as the dangerous magic burst through an array of colors all at once. It shifted momentarily before brightening into an intense mixture of golden yellows and orange.

Jareth sat up straight, staring in shock at the swirling magic; he had never seen anything like it. "Intriguing," he muttered, leaning forward in confusion. To be able to so casually move between different emotions, and ranging strengths of those emotions, was nearly unheard of. Especially for a novice.

"Never a dull moment with you, is there precious?"

Jareth was beyond curious now as to what sort of story she was telling through her music. Being the egocentric man that he was, the Goblin King had a fair guess as to the subject of her intense playing.

Eager to test his assumption, he leaned back arrogantly and closed his eyes. With his centuries of experience, Jareth was able to visually see the song's images flashing through his mind's eye. Visions of his realm assaulted the Goblin King as he mentally prodded the magic surrounding him. They were only vague wisps and gone as soon as they had come, but it was more than enough to spread an unmistakable, narcissistic smirk across his face.

His ego preened with self-satisfaction as he was able to see firsthand how truly intimidating and awe-inspiring he was to runners. There was no doubt he'd be strutting for weeks.

Yet, underneath his self-assurance Jareth's mind was churning. 'W _here did all this talent come from?'_ He was genuinely puzzled, that kind of power couldn't be given unintentionally _. 'And I certainly didn't give it to her…_ '

It was a disconcerting mystery, yet he wasn't overly concerned with the truth. He had all the time in the world to sort it out, once they returned together to the Underground.

* * *

Sarah grit her teeth as the song gained in pace and meaning as she recalled her journey's early worries and struggles. These sections she referred to as the 'action sequences' and were quite physically demanding. As tiring as they could be, these parts were straightforward adventure and didn't require so much emotion to perform, unlike the latter parts of the song. She cringed at the thought of what was to come.

' _Why do I let myself get roped into playing this stupid song so much? Sometimes…' s_ he inhaled sharply as she pounded the keys in frustration, _'I wish I had never written it...'_

* * *

'Thirteen Hours' was the first song she had ever composed and, at the time, Sarah hadn't even been aware of her new gift. It had been created completely unintentionally.

While her family was out, Sarah had resolved to try one last time to reach her friends in the Labyrinth. The disappointment that followed had quickly turned into anger. Things had been thrown, curses screamed, and cries of unfairness had echoed loudly as she stormed all over the empty house.

If Sarah was completely honest with herself, she had enjoyed causing the destruction up until the hollow thump of her grandmother's piano echoed throughout the room.

After hearing it, Sarah had cringed and sullenly went over to inspect the damage. There was a chip the size of a quarter gouged from the side of the instrument. Gently, almost apologetically, she had run her fingers over the gash and down the side toward the keys. Slumping onto the bench, Sarah allowed herself to feel the grief she'd been denying for months.

It had started quietly enough, but soon she was shaking as she hysterically mourned the loss of her friends. They had meant so much to her, everything about the Labyrinth had. To admit that she'd never see them again, see _him_ again, felt as if a part of herself had been ripped out.

She had never cried so hard in her life.

As she sat hunched over, desperately gasping for air, Sarah listlessly stared at the keys before her. Musical notes were beginning to dance around in beat with the pounding in her head. Mentally detached from what she was doing, Sarah's hands reached out and began to play.

As she pressed the keys for the first time that night, Sarah closed her eyes and allowed herself to express her mourning through the music. She soon lost herself in it, overcome by an intense compulsion to play the song resonating in her mind.

This was how her father and his second wife found her later that evening; hunched over the family piano, surrounded by broken trinkets, and playing the most heartrending musical piece either had ever heard.

* * *

Sarah blinked away the unhappy memory and stole a glance at the audience. _'Irene was right, not a dry eye…_ '

It was times like these that Sarah wished she had a better control over her temper. Nothing good ever came from her fits of anger. She wasn't sure which childish tantrum had changed her life the most: wishing away Tobey or damaging the piano.

She frowned slightly and pinched her eyes shut as her eyebrows scrunched downward. _'I definitely need to find a healthier outlet…'_ she joked half-heartedly as the song progressed.

The longer she played the more drained she felt. Physically she was beginning to tire, but even more alarming was the throbbing in her head and chest that seemed to drive the song relentlessly onward. It had never been this intense before.

Even though it literally ached to perform this song, tonight Sarah was more concerned with her growing embarrassment. ' _Irene knew. She had known all along_.' Sarah could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She was sure, when the music forced her to express the intensity of her hidden infatuation for the Goblin King, her new-found mortification might just kill her.

Thank God it was just Irene that knew. If anyone else had an inkling of her ridiculous feelings she might have to resume her search for a way back into the Labyrinth, if only to find an oubliette to throw herself into.

' _I really hate this song…'_

* * *

Jareth hadn't had this much fun in years.

Her music was saturated with girlish fantasies and romantic clichés, all of which were fixated on _himself_!

He grinned wolfishly. ' _This almost makes up for all she put me through…_ ' Oh, the teasing Sarah was in for may very well be worth the price of his initial defeat at her hands!

The goblins that had accompanied him cringed as their king's eyes began to twinkle dangerously with an uncontrollable mirth. They had discovered long ago, that an insanely happy fae was never a good omen. Either their leader was plotting some catastrophic mischief, in which they would gladly partake, or he had finally succumbed to madness.

Neither option boded well for the girl.

* * *

The encore was nearly finished and Sarah was feeling the drain more so than usual. It was if the song was pushing her to pour as much of her heart into it as possible.

She fervently hoped she could convince Irene to let them skip the formal charity gathering after the performance, but she seriously doubted it. ' _She's more strict as my manager than she ever was as a parent…_ '

Just the thought of having to socialize for the next few hours seemed torturous to the physically drained young woman. ' _Thank goodness Irene does most of the talking for me…'_

Sarah was beginning to lightly perspire from the intensity of her ballad. ' _Almost done,_ ' she smiled. This part of the song may be the hardest to face emotionally, but ironically, it was the easiest to play. Strengthening her resolve, Sarah straightened her back and focused on the final movement of her song.

It would be heart-rending for her and her audience, it always was. Retelling through song her last moments with the Goblin King would never get any easier, no matter how many times she played it.

At this point, the song was ebbing and flowing in its intensity and volume, making it possible for Sarah to hear her music's effect on her listeners. The sniffles and poorly concealed sobs from the audience was once again a solid confirmation that she was successful in sharing her emotions.

How everyone could call this their favorite song, Sarah would never understand. She had never been able to flip the switch between her emotions as quickly as her audience. To be able to cheer so ardently in the end, even with the tears still in their eyes, made no sense to her.

It wasn't as if she wanted everyone to feel depressed after hearing her song, but sometimes Sarah wondered if she alone felt like it had just kicked her in the gut. Personally, if given the opportunity, the young woman would much rather have preferred to crawl into bed and not come out for a week.

' _Just once it would be nice for someone else to understand what I feel…_ '

* * *

The Goblin King's joyful mood had completely evaporated.

The closer Sarah got to concluding her encore, the grumpier the fae got. He had taken to pacing the length of his concealed balcony, not unlike a caged predator.

This was _not_ a part of their story he was interested in reliving, especially now that he could literally _see_ and _feel_ her emotions. Knowing of her ridiculous infatuation was one thing, listening to her growing genuine affection for him was another.

It was the cruelest kind of torture he had endured from her yet.

The worst part was that Jareth was certain the girl wasn't even aware of just how strong her … _feelings_ were. He vehemently denied Sarah even knew what love was, she was much too young. Regardless of his thoughts on the matter, Jareth's chest fluttered uncomfortably.

Snarling, he banged a fist on the railing in front of him. The violent action had any remaining goblins dashing for the safety of the shadows. Jareth stood staring at her for a long moment, unhappy with this turn of events.

"Damn her."

He did not want to encourage affection of any kind for Sarah. He was over this! He was over her!

Crossing his arms the Goblin King flopped down heavily into his seat, narrowing his eyes as he began to scheme. He would make her pay for reigniting any of these lingering, imaginary feelings in him.

In the cruelest way he could, Jareth would make her see there was nothing between them, but first he had to lure her underground…

* * *

Sarah was sure she had never been so relieved to be at the end of this song.

The music in her head was pounding so intensely it was beginning to affect her eyes. ' _Maybe it's the lighting_ ,' she winced, struggling to keep her gaze lowered on the piano. She could barely see it, but even now, if she squinted hard enough, there was a faint haze that was changing colors as it swirled and sparkled above the crowd.

Despite the pain in her head, the haze was hypnotically beautiful to look at. Yet, for some unknown reason, it made her incredibly sad. Watching it softly change from pale pinks to muted reds and back again seemed to put an emotional lump in her throat, yet she couldn't bear to look away as it rose higher and higher within the auditorium. Following it with her eyes, Sarah was startled when she saw a tense figure hidden among the shadows of the upper balconies.

Sarah's heart began to race as the soft light slowly began to illuminate the man's silhouette. It was too dark to see any features clearly, but she got the impression of sharp angles and familiar piercing eyes.

Subtly tilting her head, she squinted harder. ' _It couldn't be…_ '

Sarah nearly missed a beat as a tremor laced through her chest, the floating light flaring to life in that same moment.

Beyond grateful that she knew this song by heart, Sarah mentally swore as she blinked away the spots left by the flash. Knowing she would be unable to see anything, Sarah still vainly searched the darkened balconies above.

' _Jareth?_ '

* * *

Author's Note:

Not really thrilled with this, but it's been sitting around for so long I decided it was time to just go ahead and post it. Maybe getting out some of my work will help with motivation to write more… we'll see.

Hope you all enjoyed it and thanks for reading.

Casually Late


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